He's Dead
by ti3
Summary: After the battle at Hogwarts, Rodolphus Lestrange doesn't return back to headquarters. After several hours of waiting, and with no body found, he is pronounced dead. Bellatrix is placed under Severus' custody under the Dark Lord's unclear orders.
1. Visitors in the Dark

Spinner's End was quiet and dark. What else were you to expect from a neighborhood (of you could call the street and dirty river that) at two in the morning? All of the shabby houses were dark, curtains drawn tight and the only sound that could be heard was the slightly unsteady flow of the river until…

_'Pop!'_

A tall, thin figure materialized out of thin air outside a gray looking house. The figure quickly made its way to the house, a wooden stick clutched in its hand. Its free hand was on the doorknob when-_ 'Pop!'_

Another figure appeared not far from where the first one had. The figure, whom by the looks of it was a lanky teenage boy, scared out of his wits, ran after the other.

"Wait!" The taller figure turned around. A hooked nose, pale skin, and black eyes loomed before the teenager.

"Go home, Draco. What's done is done."

"I can't. I failed." His head was tilted down so that his platinum blonde hair hid his face.

"Yes you did but-" Draco's back was heaving up and down in fashion that heavily suggested that the boy was crying. Severus Snape went on, determined to ignore it. "But I did it for you. You're fine. Nothing's going to happen to you."

"Yeah. You did it. Not me. He's going to kill me." He sobbed. Severus watched, disgusted. He'd no idea what to do in a situation like this. He fiddled with the latch of the door, only wishing to go inside and to have this night over with.

"Draco," Severus looked as if he was about to tell him that everything would be fine, that because of the unbreakable vow that he'd made with Malfoy's mother, that everything would be okay. "Go home." He finished instead.

"I-I-I…can't." Draco actually began to sob now. And Severus found it incredibly hard to believe that the shaken and scared boy standing in front of him was related to two of the most sadistic and rash people he'd ever known. He could have kicked himself for asking what he did next, but he couldn't help himself.

"Why? Why can't you go home and leave me in peace?"

He wanted to rid himself of the boy. He didn't know how to deal with him in this situation.

"I just can't." Draco whimpered, sounding like a down dog that had been kicked in the ribs.

He'd killed Dumbledore for the boy under and hour ago and saved his hide from the Order and now, Severus was beginning to regret it all. It had been a long night and Snape only wanted to fall into bed before the Order came knocking. He knew that he wouldn't be staying for long in his house for he'd be 'wanted' now, tracked down.

"Draco." The boy looked at him and Severus felt that he couldn't fight with him anymore. Tiredness was setting in and he didn't intend to stay out here all night and argue with him. "You don't have to go home now; you can stay here, for a few hours."

Draco nodded gravely. At least he seemed to have stopped crying for now. His thin shoulders soon stopped shaking, though he wouldn't look fully up at his former teacher.

"Come on. I'll owl your mother." As Severus' hand readied to turn the latch to his house another set of 'pops' went up.

Severus grabbed Draco by the arm, pushing him behind him instinctively. He drew out his wand, pointing it at the surrounding darkness as the tip lighted up. The yellow-green light cast over two figures. He recognized one immediately. He'd have known the tall, slender form of Bellatrix Lestrange anywhere. The person standing beside her though, Severus couldn't quite make out. It was obviously a man, but was too short to be her husband, Rodolphus. Who else would accompany her at this late hour of the night? And why were Bellatrix and the unknown 'lackey' at his house before the crack of dawn?

"Put your wand away Severus. It's only us." Said the still unknown shadow. Severus recognized the voice as that of Rabastan Lestrange's and lowered his wand, though only slightly.

'Fine, if you insist on keeping it u, do as you may." The younger Lestrange sighed. Snape noted that there was something different about his voice. It was usually filled with mischief and a devilish smile was never far off, but now it sounded almost sad, remorseful, and as Rabastan stepped forwards he noticed that there was indeed no devilish smile. Lestrange's face was long and drawn and his eyes appeared to be watery as if he might burst out crying any minute.

Severus loosened, wand dropping back to his side as he stepped away from in front of Draco.

Bellatrix remained behind. Snape noticed that she didn't move forward and that her face was hidden by a hood.

"Can we come in?" Rabastan's voice was so timid to usual.

"Ah…yes." Severus said, eyebrows knitting together in confusion. He reached behind him, hand closing on the doorknob and turning it. Entering the house, he waved his wand and dim lights came on to illuminate a small sitting room with bookcases everywhere and a few couches and chair spread about in front of a fire that had long since died. Snape had been away at Hogwarts, so the house looked unkempt, but after the events of tonight, he knew he'd never be going back.

"So, Bellatrix." His voice was a slow drawl as he spun around, closing the door with another wave of the wand behind her and Rabastan. "Whatever kept you away from the battle at Hogwarts? I don't seem to recall seeing you there."

She glared at him from under her hood and Severus smirked, but the retort he wanted didn't come. He was, of course, picking at her. She never missed a chance to tear someone apart or to have them begging for death on their knees with there life in her hands. Severus had never seen her like this. She always came back with some witty comment, but this time, none came.

Something was obviously wrong with the two of them. He met her gaze for the first time, eyes barely visible underneath the hood. He noticed that something seemed to be missing. She looked broken almost, pupils twice the size they should be and pain evident under those heavy lids. She looked nearly as crushed as Rabastan. Snape saw that he would get no reply, so pushed on, eyes staying glued to the pair. "Why are the two of you here?"

Rabastan's jaw moved as if he were to speak but somehow got hung. It took him a number of dragged out seconds to begin.

"Ro-Rodolphus. He's…" Pain struck through his face, washing over it in waves. He looked so close to tears and Severus didn't think he could take it to see one more person cry this night. He wanted to know what had happened, but he didn't press Lestrange to continue. He just stood there in the long, heavy silence: waiting.

"He's…He is…." Rabastan looked like he'd crumble onto the floor.

"He's-

And with a cracking voice that sounded so full of pain, Bellatrix cut in. "Dead."


	2. Unclear Orders

"What?"

It had taken him what seemed like an eternity to get the question out. Had he heard her correctly? Rodolphus Lestrange….dead?

"You heard me." Bellatrix snapped.

Severus looked up and down, taking her in. Upon closer inspection, she looked even worse than her brother-in-law. Bellatrix was…demolished. She didn't look as if she'd been crying like Rabastan did.

No. Bellatrix looked like she was desperately trying to hold it all in. She hadn't cried a single tear. She was far too proud. Far too concerned with not looking like the hopeless widow.

The fact that she hadn't cried and needed to only seemed to make the matter worse.

Her demeanor and posture were colder than ever.

Bellatrix noticed that Snape was watching her and tilted her head so that her curtain of long, black hair masked her face.

Severus slowly looked away. "Rabastan…I…how?" He couldn't construct a coherent thought. Lestrange was dead? So that was what was wrong with the both of them, but how did Lestrange's death concern him?

"Rabastan, I'm sorry," Severus was trying to tread lightly on this subject. "But how does this concern me so much that you and Bellatrix had to show up at my house in the early hours of the morning?"

Rabastan looked around the room and Severus could tell that he didn't want to elaborate.

"Rabastan-"

But the younger Lestrange interrupted him. "Maybe the boy shouldn't hear this…"

Lestrange's eyes were glued to something behind Severus. He turned around to see Draco, momentarily forgotten.

"We'll leave him in here then." He answered with a short nod to Draco. "My study should suffice." Snape crossed the room, heading through a door and down a dark hall. He could hear the other two following him and began to think silently to himself. Just what did Rodolphus' death have to do with him and why couldn't Rabastan and Bellatrix wait till the sun was up for this? Severus had been through enough tonight, he didn't need any more problems.

The door to his study was creaky, squealing loudly as it was opened. Severus led them through the door, closing and locking it behind him.

"Wormtail…" He muttered at Rabastan's questionable expression. "Taken a rather nasty habit of listening around keyholes." Severus crossed the room, leaning against an antique desk that sat in front of a shelf of books. He watched the two of them, waiting for one to speak. He still failed to understand how this concerned him in the least.

Rabastan looked around, fidgeting for several minutes. He seemed unsure on what to say. Severus' eyes wandered to Bellatrix. She, on the other hand, was not looking at the ground, but was staring straight at Snape, himself. It startled him somewhat. How could she be so calm? Her husband had just died. Her lover. Her friend. Dead.

"Out with it Rabastan. I don't have all night." Snape spoke, but his eyes never left Bellatrix.

To his left he heard Rabastan draw a deep breath, and then- "As we've already told you, Rodolphus is….dead." There was a choke in his voice and a slight pause before he went on. "This, therefore, leaves Bellatrix a widow." He paused again. Severus heard movement from Bellatrix and looked up to see her watching her brother-in-law intently.

Severus could not see a light to the end of this tunnel. He looked over at Rabastan, who had taken up looking at the floor and was clearly holding back tears. He studied Lestrange for a moment. Where in hell was he heading with this?

Bellatrix's voice broke the strained silence. "Why are we here, Rabastan?" Her voice was threatening and accusing.

Severus rounded on her, shocked. She had no idea why they were here? How had Rabastan managed to get Bellatrix to his house without telling her why they were calling on him?

The earlier looked up at her, biting his lip. "Er….Bella, please don't overreact, but--"Severus looked over at Bellatrix; she looked like a cauldron about to boil over.

"Why are we here, Rabastan?" She cut across him, teeth gritted.

"To….ah…" He wasn't having much luck. The look that Bellatrix was giving him was murderous and the fact that she was advancing on him as if she'd like to choke the life from him wasn't helping matters.

"Why. Are. We. Here?" She nearly hissed.

"Oh! Bellatrix. After they pronounced Rodolphus…dead at--well. The Dark Lord thought it best that you be placed under the care of someone--Severus….to--to watch you. And he told me to escort you and thought it best that you were left in the dark so you couldn't fight or anything until you were in the house." Rabastan had spilled all.

"WHAT!" Severus and Bellatrix screamed at the same time.

"She can't stay here. I'm not a babysitter. I already have Wormtail on my back and in my business. What's wrong with the Malfoy Manor?" Snape demanded.

Bellatrix had been about to speak when he'd interrupted her. "I don't want to stay here, in any case. Under your roof. Under your eye." She rounded on Rabastan, whom she was only a foot from. "I'm not helpless. I don't need looking after."

"Bella--" He began.

"BELLATRIX!" She shouted over Rabastan, who took a step back from her.

"Bellatrix. The Dark Lord said that you were to stay with Severus. That he trusts Severus with you." His gaze was now on Snape.

"I'm not some…item that you can pass around. Rodolphus Lestrange didn't make me…just because he's--that doesn't mean that I'm an incompetent moron. I'm not staying here. I don't need Snape to watch over me as if I were a child. I'm not staying."

Severus couldn't help but notice that she hadn't said that her husband was dead. She'd paused and restructured what she'd been screaming in order to tip-toe around the truth. Bellatrix had never been one to deal with the truth. Lies were easier for her. Lies didn't hurt.

"To hell if you don't need me.." He muttered.

"What?" Bellatrix demanded, her cold eyes turning on him.

"Nothing. Nothing…"

Snape could well remember a time when she had 'needed' him. When they'd been friends, and after they'd crossed that line. He remembered, alright.

Rabastan emitted an uncomfortable cough.

"I don't want her here." Severus had pushed away from his desk. "I'm not going to play keeper to someone who would murder me in my sleep." He wouldn't put it past the little bitch. He didn't want that…that vulture staying in his house. "Send her to her sister's." He idly waved his hand at the door, wishing they were both gone.

"As I've already stated--"

"You want me to murder you, Severus? That can gladly be arranged." Bellatrix interrupted. She was glaring daggers at him. She'd been hoodwinked into this and didn't like the idea that someone thought she wouldn't be well off enough to be on her own.

Severus advanced on her, only stopping when he was directly in front of her. "Just because we all seem to think you're an….incompetent moron…there's no need to get your knickers in a bundle." He sneered at her, daring Bellatrix to draw her wand.

He could see her right arm twitch out of the corner of his eye. They were so close to each other, hissing in dangerous tones.

"I guess I'll have to get yours in a bundle then."

"Going to stick your hand down my pants….again?" Severus watched her eyes narrow, mouth draw into a tight line.

"No. I was thinking more along the lines of torturing--"

He cut her off. "Go ahead--"

"AS I'VE ALREADY STATED!" Rabastan screamed, before Bellatrix could reply. "The Dark Lord stated that you, Severus, were to have Bellatrix stay with you. Narcissa isn't any match for Bellatrix, anyone could tell you that." It was true. Narcissa didn't stand a chance against her older sister in a duel. "His orders were to place her in your hands and for you to keep her." Rabastan plowed on through his speech, refusing to stop for anyone. Bellatrix's growls of protests were overlooked.

"You wouldn't want to go back on His orders, would you?" He was looking Snape dead in the eye.

Severus hated Rabastan.

He was right. He had no choice but to obey the Dark Lord and do as he commanded. Severus, still standing in front of Bellatrix, looked up at her. She liked the idea no better than he. They hadn't spoken properly since they had shortly gotten out of Hogwarts, and even then the circumstances had been somewhat lurid.

Having received his unclear orders, Severus saw no way out of this.

"Fine. How long shall she be here?" He chose to ignore Bellatrix for now.

"He didn't say. For a while, I suppose."

Severus sighed.

Stuck with Bellatrix for 'a while.'

He didn't want her here. Didn't want to have to live in the same house with her. Why couldn't the Dark Lord's instructions be more clear? Clarity. Severus, wished for once he could have clarity…in anything.

He heard footsteps and looked up. Rabastan had started to the door, carefully walking out of reach from Bellatrix.

"Rabastan?" Severus called out. "Take Draco home, will you? You seem to have no problem in delivering people. Tell Narcissa that everything is alright."

Rabastan nodded, reaching out for the handle.

"Rabastan." Severus had only just thought of something.

"Yes, Severus?" He sounded irritated.

Snape went on, regardless. "What happens if she tires to apparate out?"

"Oh. That." Said Rabastan. "A charm's been placed on the house. She'll be torn to pieces."


	3. Below the Belt

Several minutes passed by in silence after Rabastan left.

Several minutes of Bellatrix and Severus glaring at each other. Severus had once been head over heals for the woman, who had once been a girl, standing before him. He'd snogged her, slept with her. Only to have it all snatched away and thrown back in his face. She'd lied to him. Told him that he did mean something, only to go and crawl in bed with someone else.

Rodolphus.

Lucius.

Anyone but him.

They had supposedly made up the last time he'd spoken to her, but it had all been lies. And he still hated her for it.

The silence was strained, but Severus wasn't going to be the one to break it.

Bellatrix's stare was cold, uncaring, and he could only hope that his radiated the same dislike.

Severus noticed that she hadn't changed much since Hogwarts, and that was some twenty-some-odd-years ago. Of course, Azkaban has left it's mark, diminishing her once flaming beauty to a semi-lit fire. She did look older, but so did Severus. Bellatrix hadn't aged, she'd matured. She was no longer the Head Girl, quidditch player, and seventeen year old vixen she had been. Instead, she was a thirty-six year old murderer, Death Eater, and widow.

Snape still had his greasy black hair, hooked nose, and cold black eyes. He was still cold and indifferent. Still an all out asshole, but extremely loyal. He proved himself time and time again to the Dark Lord, only to be given the smallest pat on the back, and then have Bellatrix Lestrange shoved off on him.

"What?"

Severus jumped. He'd come to lean against his desk again and had been letting his eyes roam over Bellatrix.

He looked at her, confused.

"What are you staring at?" She demanded.

"I think you could figure that out of your own." His cold eyes were boring into hers, daring her to say something back. He didn't want her here.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Snape shook his head at her. "Honestly. Do you feel the need to play games? You're perfectly aware of what it means." He pushed himself away from his desk, crossing the low-ceilinged room and heading for the door. He didn't desire being cooped up in the same room with Bellatrix.

Severus reached out for the doorknob. Just as he was about to touch it, he was suddenly brought down on his ass. He landed on the floor, legs sprawled out in front of him before quickly scrambling up to his feet. Severus spun around to see Bellatrix with her wand held out.

"You bitch!" He hissed. He'd offered her his home, maybe not that willingly, but she was staying her. He had to put up with her ass and had agreed to it. And this was how she was going to repay him?

If Bellatrix wanted a fight, she'd get one.

Severus pointed his wand straight at her and flicked it. A jet of red sparks shot straight for Bellatrix, but to Snape's displeasure, she blocked the curse and sent it straight back at him.

He hadn't reacted fast enough and was slammed into the wall. Straightening himself up, Severus touched a hand to his head. Blood was pouring from the spot where his head had smacked against the wall.

"You want to play dirty Bellatrix? Have it your way then." He pointed his wand at her again.

"Crucio!" You couldn't block an unforgivable curse. Bellatrix fell to the floor, writhing in pain.

Her body contorted into shapes that it wasn't supposed to be able to bend into and her eyes were shut tight.

Severus watched her go on like this for minutes, wand still poised and doing damage.

Why wasn't she screaming?

"What, Bella? Too proud to scream? Or am I not hurting you enough?" He knew it was the first.

She was far too proud to scream. After several more minutes of watching her writhe in pain, hoping that she'd crack, Severus lifted the curse.

Her body went limp. Severus walked over to her, kneeling down and bending over her. His hand cupped her face and he turned her to look at him.

"I can beat you Bellatrix. I'm not the stupid little school boy that followed you around like a lost puppy. I can beat you and don't you ever forget it."

Her eyes were locked with his. Still a fighter. She refused to be the submissive one. Just like in school.

She could beat anyone at anything.

But Severus Snape had just caught her off-guard. For, back in school he hadn't been the type to use an unforgivable on anyone. No, throwing unforgivables left and right had bee what Bellatrix and Lucius had done. Too everyone and to each other.

"You're in my house, Bellatrix, and you're going to play by my rules."

"Or really? I am?" She was gasping for the breath she had lost during the curse, but Severus could still tell she was angry.

And before he had time to react Bellatrix had rolled over and successfully kneed him in the groin.

His wand fell to the floor and Severus bent over, clutching at his stomach.

He was now the one gasping for breath and through all the coughing and sputtering he managed to speak.

"Bitch."


	4. Severus Remembers

_thanx for the reviews everyone. this chapter is basicly severus remembering a few things. just a glimpse. later on, i'll let you in on the whole story.

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Everything was perfect. Not. 

Shortly after falling to the floor, Severus had crawled out of the room, and just after he'd got past the door, he heard it shut. And then--heard it lock.

Bellatrix had locked herself in his study. With his books. With his things. In his house. And, not only had she locked herself in, but she'd performed a rather complicated spell, which Severus couldn't figure out how to break, and after several minutes of trying to force his way through his own door, he gave up.

Now, he sat in his living room, a bottle of what looked like opened Old Wizard's Ale sitting on his coffee table. Talking would do him no good in a situation like this. Bellatrix could close her mind off to screaming, and he didn't even think she'd listen long enough for him to say a word.

She was probably in his office, shredding his numerous books and records as he sat there, sulking.

He honestly was at a loss for what to do.

Did a person like Bellatrix want comforting for the death of her husband?

Or did she want to be left alone?

When she reemerged from his study, if she reemerged from his study, would she be better or worse off than she was now?

Severus buried his lips in his alcohol, closing his eyes. He came to the conclusion that the best thing to do was to leave her alone.

About an hour later, while Severus still sat, brooding over what to do, Wormtail emerged from a hidden doorway behind a bookcase, and Severus' eyes snapped up, expecting Bellatrix. Instead, he found out, it was the rat he was forced to share board with. Why did he get everyone shoved off on him? Certainly, he didn't strike anyone as a housemaid.

Without thinking, his wand had wormed its way into his hand, and Severus turned the weapon on Wormtail. "Peter, for the next few weeks, you are to stay put in your hole, behind the bookcase. You aren't to come out."

"But…but what about….about food or water?" Stammered the ragged man.

"I don't care. You'll somehow manage." Severus aimed several curses at the eyesore and Wormtail scampered away up his stairs.

Snape switched off the lights in the living room and walked down the corridor to his bedroom. He stopped, just outside his study and pressed an ear to the door. What he heard nearly made him jump. Low, very fast, crying, which shallow breaths and gasps here and there.

Was she….sobbing? Severus didn't know what to think about this, and pulled away from the door.

He crawled into bed a few minutes later, having left his door open, because he was somewhat paranoid about the prospect of Bellatrix killing him in his sleep, and he wanted to know if she was coming.

Severus lay very still, not bothering to crawl under the covers. If he listened hard enough, he could hear her crying. It was an odd sound to hear, especially from her, and Severus didn't know whether he enjoyed knowing that the bitch was human or detested knowing because it unnerved him.

He'd never seen her cry. Never. Crying was something he'd never suspected that Bellatrix held the capacity to do. People like her didn't cry, they just didn't.

Was she heartbroken because her husband, her lover for the last twenty years was dead?

And the twenty years hadn't really been twenty years spent together. Bellatrix and Rodolphus hadn't laid hands on one another until after Hogwarts, from what he knew, and had gotten married when they were twenty-two. Less than four years later, they were both being locked away in Azkaban for torturing the Longbottoms. And then, when it seemed that everything would finally be okay, they'd spent but two years together before he'd be killed.

Severus wondered what it would be like to love someone that much and then lose them. To need someone and then, have them ripped away from you, locked in a cell, opposite of you, where you could see them everyday, but never touch.

And then. Two precious years, interrupted by killings, ministry raids, and battles; only to have it all thrown away when the other dies.

He could come close to that. He could come close. For he, Severus Snape, had been infatuated with Bellatrix once, but it hadn't really amounted to anything. A dance or two. A few times kissing. And a one-shot at sex. He'd had her for one night, only to have her slip out of his grasp and fall into Lucius', and then for her to sleep with when she was trying to piss Lucius off.

Something special he'd been.

Severus crawled under the blankets on his bed. He didn't want to think about it. That span between October and December in his fourth year only brought back pain.


	5. Breaking and Entering

The night passed by in a dreamless sleep for Severus, and when he woke up in the morning, wishing that all of last night had been a dream, he crawled from his bed to find the door to his study still firmly locked. And that meant that Bellatrix was still hoarded up inside and that the pervious night was indeed, real.

Snape now stood outside his own study door, ear pressed to it again.

He couldn't hear any noise from within. Perhaps Bellatrix had cried herself to sleep as most women who lost their lovers did. But, Bellatrix, crying? The idea still shook Severus to his very core. At least he hadn't witnessed it, though, because if he would have, then he would have had to accept it; accept that Bellatrix Lestrange had finally been demolished.

Severus feebly jingled the handle of the door, but it didn't open.

The clever bitch had locked herself in for good.

He pushed himself away from the door and headed down the corridor. Upon entering his living room, Snape noticed that it was raining outside. The rain was rolling down the windows, leaving trails of water behind.

He quickly walked over to the nearest window and drew the curtains. After the events of last night, having his windows wide open didn't seem a wise decision. It was asking for a member of the Order to burst through the window and attempt to haul him off to Azkaban.

Severus sat down in a chair, but just as he'd sat, he jumped right back up.

The windows! Of course! Why hadn't he thought of it before now?

Snape crossed his living room in a near sprint and flung open the door. Stepping into the rain, wearing only pajama bottoms, with wand in hand, he closed his front door behind him and began pacing around his house.

How stupid had he been? Hopefully, Bellatrix had been too distressed to think to seal the windows, for Severus was about to break into his own study.

As he crawled through the unkempt bushes that had grown up around his house, a thought struck Severus.

Why did he want to break into his study to see Bellatrix?

Did he want to make sure she was ok?

Or did he just not like the idea of her being alone in his study, able to destroy it if she so desired?

He decided that it had to be the latter one. He couldn't actually still care for Bellatrix.

In a matter of minutes, Severus had been soaked to the core, but it would all be worth it. He'd get his study back. He crept up to the window, which he knew was the one directly behind his desk, and held his wand to the sill. With a light tap the window opened, just a fraction of an inch. It was enough for Severus to fit his hands under in order to lift the window up. A set of black drapes hung in front of the window, hopefully blocking all he was doing from sight.

He eased the window up, holding his breath as he did so. Halfway up, the window squeaked ever so slightly and Severus froze, heart beating wildly in his chest. If she heard him coming, she could react, and possibly shut him out of the whole house altogether.

He listened for several minutes, but heard no movement, and decided to push the window the rest of the way up. Slowly, very slowly, he crawled through the window, right hand still holding his wand. He perched on the sill, still hidden behind the drapes, like an overgrown bird of prey. Straining to listen again, he heard nothing once more and slowly lowered himself to the floor.

Severus stepped out from behind the drapes.

The sight that met him was something he had not been expecting to see, or rather, he had, but only the most back part of his mind.

Bellatrix Lestrange was sitting on the couch, knees pulled into her stomach, and head lowered to her knees. Her whole body was shaking all over and every now and then, she'd take in a harsh breath, causing her body to shake even more.

She was sobbing.


	6. The Letter

_long chapter. i know. figured i'd change the scenary and keep up with what i said in chapter one. sevvie's on the run.

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Her head snapped up, and Severus watched as her eyes filled with hatred. She was scrambling up off the couch and pulling her wand out from her robes.

It was pointed at him in a flash.

"Bellatrix. Bellatrix!" But his words held no impact on her. She was coming at him, wand held out, and face screwed up in a pain that he couldn't possibly understand.

"Bellatrix! Stop!" But just as the words left his mouth, Severus found himself having to dive onto the floor in order to dodge the spell that she'd cast.

"What are you doing in here?" Severus didn't answer her, but continued to scrambled away across the floor on his hands and knees. For some reason he didn't want to hurt her unless he had to. He crawled behind his desk.

"Bellatrix. Calm down. I just want to talk to you." A spell shot by his ear and he ducked again.

"Calm down? Calm down!" She shot several more spells at Severus' head, one which sat his desk on fire. He quickly put the fire out with his wand, causing her to scream in rage. It was obvious that she was angry. Severus had, of course, seen her angry so many times before, but this, this had to be the epitome.

"Come out, _Severus_." He hated the way that she spat his name out, as if it were a curse, a word not meant to be heard. "Are you afraid?" He heard her footsteps coming closer.

She was on the other side of the desk.

"No." He answered, sardonically. "I only want to talk to you. You can't keep yourself hoarded up in my study for the rest of your stay here."

"Talk to me?" She shrieked. "You want to talk to me? About _what_?" She fired another spell at the wall, directly above his head, just for spite. The spell ricocheted off the wall, sending a bookshelf clattering to the floor. "You couldn't possibly understand. You _don't _understand. Have you ever had someone ripped away from you, someone you care about?" Her voice had risen an octave. "You've never lost someone, and known that no matter what you'll do, you'll never get them back. You'll never see them again. You've never woken up to roll over, and roll off of a couch instead of your own bed; the bed in which you expect to find your husband laying beside you in!"

Another spell was fired at the wall and another bookshelf fell.

Severus was still crouching behind his desk, every word that left her lips ringing around his head. He'd never heard Bellatrix talk like this. Never. Her voice was horribly high pitched and she was referring to love, something that, again, Severus didn't think that Bellatrix had the capacity to do.

But he remembered how it had been when she and Rodolphus had finally clashed. When Rodolphus had finally gotten hold of her. Three years after Hogwarts, a fight that the pair had gotten into, a fight that had been established to prove who could dominate the other, had led to sex, and sex to their relationship, which had turned into a marriage.

Snape knew that Bellatrix had been Rodolphus' world. That the man would give his life for her. Do anything in the world for her. But, he hadn't been sure that Bellatrix had felt the same way. But hadn't she always beaten anyone who dared even harm Rodolphus, when they were little? Hadn't Rodolphus been Bellatrix's only true friend? Then, couldn't it be possible that Bellatrix had loved him as much as he had loved her, if not more?

Severus shook his head experimentally, banishing these thoughts from his mind. While the couple had been as happy as they could be, it only brought back pain for him.

"I think I can imagine, _Bella. _Don't you remember your last year in Hogwarts?" He stood up from behind his desk, wand hanging at his side, incase he needed it. "Don't you remember that stupid Halloween Masquerade? I'm sure you do, after all, that was the night you started sleeping with Lucius. Or, wait. It appears I'm wrong." He spat every word, clearly disgusted by her. "You didn't sleep with him until the morning after. While I lay, unconscious in a hospital bed, you were off playing the common whore."

He paused, waiting for a reaction. He knew his words had made an impact. If there was one thing Bellatrix couldn't stand, it was being told where her faults lied. And while he hated to bring up the past, if bringing it up would cause her half the pain it had caused him, then he was willing to do so.

He watched as her eyes narrowed to slits, watched as every memory that she'd expertly blocked out was brought to the surface. He watched as she opened her mouth to say something, but could say nothing, so just closed it again.

Finally, she did manage to utter a sound. "It's Bellatrix."

Severus laughed out loud. But he didn't move from his desk. If need be, it offered him a shield and kept a needed distance. "Is that all you can come up with Bellatrix, to correct me with the usage of a pet name, which you never allowed anyone but your precious Rodolphus to use?" He knew he'd stuck a nerve.

"Crucio!" Bellatrix had pointed her wand at him, intent on causing as much pain as humanly possible.

The curse his Severus squarely in the chest and he was slammed backwards into the wall. He slid down the wall, coming to lie on his back, and writhing all over in pain. It felt as if a hundred hot knives were being stabbed through his body. His skin was being ripped from his bones, nails being pulled from his fingers, and hair being yanked from his scalp. His body was slowly twisting into inhuman shapes, that it shouldn't be able to take.

Somehow he managed to focus in on Bellatrix's face as she leaned over the desk. A sadistic bliss radiated from her every feature. She was clearly enjoying this, watching him writhe in pain.

Severus bit down on his tongue, determined not to give her the satisfaction of his screams. If he didn't scream, then she hadn't gotten what she wanted.

After what seemed like an eternity of being at her mercy, just when he was beginning to wish for death, she lifted the curse. Severus gasped for breath, panting . He struggled to sit up, feeling as if everyone bone in his body might snap in half if he moved too much.

He looked up at Bellatrix, glaring at her. She was smirking down at him, looking as if she'd won the war.

He couldn't let her keep on getting the upper hand. "You've think you've won, don't you Bellatrix?"

Her face suddenly lined with confusion. "Of course." She stated matter of factly.

"You're wrong." Severus leaned up and wrapped his hands around her neck. In one swift movement, he'd drug her over the desk and down to the floor. Now he straddled her stomach as she made feeble swats at him. He pinned her wrists to the floor and leaned down so that his face was only an inch from hers.

"You can't even win the battle and you're trying to start a war Bellatrix." His weight was pressed into her. There was no way that she wasn't having trouble breathing. Severus looked down at her.

Her eyes were large and wet with crying, face streaked with tears. Her jaw was set, teeth pushed together in an effort that had to be hurting her. Her hair was splayed about her face and her breathing was heavy.

He shifted somewhat to allow her room to breath.

"Let me explain something to you, while I have you at my disposal." He let go of one of her wrists to push his hair from his face. "You're in my house, Bellatrix. That means you're under my care. I can do whatever I like with you, that includes killing you. Right now, I'd rather have you dead, because you've been nothing but a pain since you've got here. I understand that your husband is dead, but crying, sulking, and ruining my life isn't going to bring him back." He was harsh with her, for he knew, had the situation been reversed, she would have been just as horrible to him. She was glaring at him, not quite happy with the situation that he'd put her in.

"Now, while you're under my care, which could end up being a long time, why don't you make yourself scarce? I'll stay out of your way, if you stay out of mine. It's not as if I want you here, anyway."

There was a knock at the door to the study and both heads turned to see who had intruded. Rabastan Lestrange stood in the once-locked doorway.

"How did you get in?" Severus asked. How had Lestrange gotten in when Bellatrix had locked the door?

"Turned the handle." Rabastan raised his eyebrows and stepped over the threshold.

Severus looked back down at Bellatrix, who was sneering from ear to ear. "It was only locked against you."

"You bitch--" Severus raised his hand to hit her.

"I hope I'm not intruding on anything." Rabastan spoke and Severus stopped his hand in mid air.

"No. It's not." He pushed himself off of Bellatrix and crossed the room, sitting down in an armchair. He noticed that Rabastan was looking around, taking in the fallen bookshelves and charred desk. "I'm not even going to ask." He shook his head and Severus smiled on the inside.

_I'm not even going to ask. _Now there was an old Rabastan comment, for the Hogwarts days. Sometimes Severus found himself longing to have figured out how to freeze time in order to have stopped in when they were all still in Hogwarts. To stop time where it was, long before they were all Death Eaters, before any of the muderings. He'd give almost anything for the old school daily drama.

On the other side of the room, Bellatrix was getting up. While he had pinned her, she didn't' look defeated. She refused to give up; such a fighter. Severus frowned, turning his eyes back on Rabastan. "To what do I owe this _pleasure _of a visit?"

"This." Rabastan held out a black envelope. Severus took it, and flipped it over in his hands. It was sealed; the dark mark embedded in the red wax. Severus knew who this letter was from. He'd received plenty of others.

He carefully broke the seal, and unfolded the piece of blood red paper inside.

_You are to be relocated to another house. Wormtail is to be taken out of your hands, but Bella will remain. Be packed and ready by dusk._

The note was very short and written in a sharp, deadly handwriting. He read it over twice, looking for more instruction and maybe even a reason or two, but found nothing. Severus understood completely and rose from his chair, intent on being obedient to his master.

"Are we to be escorted?" He asked Rabastan.

"Yes." Rabastan nodded. "By MacNair, Avery, and myself."

"Escorted _where_?" Bellatrix had come to stand behind Severus.

"Here." Snape thrust the letter into her hand, and headed out of the room and down the hall to his living room.

Bellatrix followed him. "But, why? Why are we moving?" Snape stopped, halfway through opening the curtains, out of habit, to make sure no one was outside. Those words sounded odd coming from her mouth. She no longer seemed angry with him, but confused instead. And, the way in which she'd said it…she made it sound like they were living together and had been for a long time.

Snape turned around to face her, drawing the curtains again as he did so. "Because, Bellatrix, I've killed a man."

"I've realised that." She interrupted. "But-" He held up his hand for silence, and oddly enough, she granted it.

"I've killed Dumbledore, former headmaster of Hogwarts. I've worked at the school for over a decade now."

She interrupted him again. "And they'll have your address on file and the Order will come looking for you." Looking up from the floor, realisation dawned in her eyes. Severus loved the way she looked now. Simply loved it. That spark in her eye, telling him that she knew what he was saying.

He nodded. "Exactly."

Rabastan chose that moment to enter the room. He crossed over to the door , and rested his hand on it before he turned around to look at the pair. "I'll be back at dusk. And try not to kill each other while I'm gone. You can do that once we get you both relocated."

He gave a halfhearted smile and opened the door, a moment after he'd stepped over the threshold, he'd vanished on the spot, leaving Bellatrix and Severus alone for eight hours until his return.


End file.
